Beet-blocker and cotton-chopper.



G. A. & 0. L. VOLZ.

BEET BLOGKER AND COTTON CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.19. 1912.

1,065,485. 7 PatentedJune 24,1913.

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C. A. & G. L. VOLZ.

BEET BLOUKER AND COTTON CHOPPER. APPLICATION FILED we. is, 1912. 1,065,485, Patented June 24, 1913.

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CHARLES A. VOLZ, 0F PIGEON, MICHIGAN, AND CHRISTIAN L. VOLZ, TOLEDO, OHIO.

BEET-BLOCKER ANCD COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1913.

Application filed August 19, 1912. Serial No. 715,777.

and we do hereby declare the following to.

be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as \\'lll enable others skilled in the-art to \Vlll('ll it appertains to make and use the same. reference being bad to the ac companying dra wings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form u partof this specification. 7

()ur inventi n relates to machines of the class employed for chopping cotton for the purpose of thinning the saniewlien growing, and also for use over rows of beets or other growing plants, for thinning the rows so as to leave the plants at the. desired distance apart. 7

The object of our invention is the provision of an improved machine of this character which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, and has its cutting member trailing from the machine frame in such manner so as to enable it to be swung horizontally or vertically into any suitable position as the cutting of plants or the following of a row ma require, whereby to en hance the practicability and commercial value thereof. 7

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the' accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention, with the driving axle in sect ion and one wheel removed. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the. cutting disk, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine, with one trailer-frame attached thereto and with parts broken away.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the axle of the machine, on each of the opposite endsof which is mounted a master or ground wheel 2. A. cross-head 3 is mounted on the. axle 1 between the wheels 2, 2, for free rocking movements on such axle relative thereto and has a short shaft. 4 fixedly projecting downward from its lower end and a stud 5 projecting upward from its upper side in axial. relation to the shaft. The head 3 is held in properly adjusted position on the axle 1 by collars 3 which are secured to the axle at each side of the head by set-screws, or in any other suitable manner.

A frame 6, which is shown, in the present instance, as beingsubstantially U-shaped, trails from the head 3, having the free end of its lower leg pivoted to the lower end of the shaft 4 below the axle and the free end of its upper leg pivoted to the stud 5 above the axle, thus adapting such frame to be swung horizontally about the shaft 4 and stud 5 as an axis and to be swung vertically with the head 3 around the axle 1 as .its axis. The upper leg of the. frame 6 is preferably considerably closer to the axle 1 than the other leg, and is angled near its head attaching end, as at G, to broaden the space between the free end portions of the legs so that the major portion of the trailer-frame is below the horizontal plane of the axle, as shown. It is found in practice that the forming of the frame 6 in this manner makes it stronger and less susceptible to wrenching stresses than would be the case if the.frame were of the same breadth throughout its length.

A pilot-wheel 7 is carriedat the lower end of an arm 8, which is attached to and projects downward from the rear end portion of the frame 6, and is intended to travel on the ground to maintain the. rearend of the frame 6 in proper spaced relation there to. J\ shaft- 9 is carried by the frame 6 longitudinally thereof, being'journaled in the rear end of such frame and in a crosspieee 10 attached thereto. This shaft carries a disk ll at its rear end without the frame ti and a bevel pinion 12 at its forward end, whicbpinion is in mesh with a larger bevel gear 13 that is mounted loosely on the shaft 4 aud'in turn meshes with a drive bevel gear 14 on one of the wheels 2, whereby to conimunicate rotation to the cutting disk from one of said wheels.

The cutting disk 11 is shown as comprising a spider 11, which is mounted on the shaft 9 and to the arms of which are secured blades ll, which are of segmental form and cooperate to form a radially notched disk. The blades 11" are shown, in the present instance. as being'three in number to form three equidistantly spaced notches or spaces 11 in the disk between which plants at properly spaced distances apart may pass without injury while the intermediate plants are cut out by the blades l1 as the disk revolves.

The trailer-frame G has a pair of guidinghandles 15 extending upward and rearward therefrom to be grasped by an operator walking at the rear of the cutting disk to enable him to guide the movement of the trailer-franie as the crookedness or condition of the row being operated over may require.

16 designates the thills of the machine which are connected adjacent to their rear ends by cross-pieces 17 and have arms 18 extending downward from their rear ends and attaching to the outer ends of the axle 1.

It is evident that the frame 6 trails a sutficient distance from the axle l to enable the disk 11 to swing at the rear-of the Wheels 2, 2, in an arc the radii of which are of considerable length, thus enabling the operator to easily swing thedisk a considerable distance to one side or the other of a line drawn centrally over and at right angles to the axle l as the curved or irregular form of a row of plants may require. It is also evident that the loose mounting of the head 3 on the shaft and the pivoted trailing of the frame 6 enables the frame and cutter disk to have universal or compound swinging movements relative to the axle to facilitate the guiding of the cutter disk or the raising of the same from plant cutting position.

l/Ve Wish it understood that the invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangement of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claim.

Having thus described our invention. what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

In a machine of the class described, an. axle, Wheels carried by and supporting said axle, a cross-head carried for rocking move ments by said axle, a substantially U-shaped frame trailing from said cross head with the free ends of its legs pivoted thereto for horizontal rocking movements, the upper one of said legs having its free end portion angled upward and forward from its major portion to dispose the major portion of the frame below the horizontal plane of the axle, a shaft journaled in said frame longitudinally thereof, means for communicating rotation from one of said wheels to said shaft, a cutter disk carried by said shaft at the rear of the frame, means for supporting the rear end of the frame, and controlling-handles extending upward and rearward from the frame.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. CHARLES A. VOLZ. CHRISTIAN L. VOLZJ FLORENCE Ann. 

